Fan Reviews

I just got home. That was the best gig I've ever been to. I'm still crying. Ok, so the day went as follows: I got there at 5:50am and there were 5 other people in line before me. One girl called Alice had camped overnight! I met Mel there which was splendid, she really is amazing, and we sat together and planned our day of getting barrier. Security stuffed us around a lot (unsurprisingly) and come 5:30 and the gates opened they'd put us in 5 lines, Mel and I being at the front of the first one, hence meaning we were the first ones into Etihad stadium!! She ran straight to Jonny's side but I stayed over Guy's (cos I'm a crazy Berrygirl)

So I got smack bang in the middle of the front of the stage with Alice. I was in front of Guy and sort of across from Chris. Could only see Will for Viva though. The Pierces were great, and the Temper Trap were also good. When 99 Problems started playing, it hit me. I was seeing Coldplay. As in the band who I meticulously stalk everyday of my life. The Xylobands started flashing and was it. I literally died inside. And I'm proud to say I was the first one to scream when the band came onstage!!

When they started playing Hurts Like Heaven and the fireworks were going off and it was all crazy, I stopped jumping. I just stood there not believing what I was seeing in front of me. If you've seen this tour you'll know exactly what I mean. There's this weird surreal feel about it. Those 4 people you only see in photos are standing there in front of you with lights and fireworks going off everywhere. I thought I was dreaming quite honestly. And, as usual, the band were beautiful and happy, and genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves! And don't even get me started on the Xylobands!! They look so much better in person than they do in photos!!

I screamed out a marriage proposal to Mr Berryman (which I doubt he didn't hear, it was really loud!!). But nothing came of that unfortunately. But then during Fix You we made eye contact. It was just for a second. I glanced across and he glanced across and our eyes met. I looked at Guy Berryman and he looked back at me. I actually haven't come to terms with that yet. I'm trying to be calm but it ain't working. I also made eye contact with Chris during Every Teardrop when he was doing one of those little "I'm going to stare at random people and freak them out" moments. He smiled at me as if to ask "are you having a good time?" to which I responded "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE YOU OH MY GOD". It was a beautiful moment. Also made eye contact with Jonny-boy when they were saying their goodbyes, he was clapping and gave me a big grin. What a sweetheart! So I left with a stack of confetti, a popped balloon, very sore feet, and crying my eyes out. (I have photos but will upload them later, I'm exhausted! )

I seriously can't sum up in words how amazing this show was. It didn't feel real it was so good. I want to take a moment to thank the boys for making such an effort to really create a down right FUCKING AWESOME live show. They were better than anyone I've ever seen before in my life. They were simply fantastic. If you haven't seen them on this tour then I'm sorry for you. Because this is truly the most amazing thing I've ever witnessed. Hands down. Love love love. Thank you Coldplay. I will now go to bed crying and dream of you until I see you on Thursday. [thanks Viva_La_Coldplay]

Hey guys! this is like my first post ever! basically ive been on this site since just before mylo came out! around about the time when they were doing the festivals! before that i was just a die hard coldplay fan that listened to there music every single day! now im sure that my family are sick of me saying random facts about coldplay i have learnt! now i wantedd to line up from 8 am! but my big sister said no but when i arrived at 1 i was shocked to see that i was so close to the front of the line! the 5 and a half hour wait in the warm melbourne sun was alright!

although i was shocked to see people younger than AROBTH infront of me! my sister and I met these coldplay fans that had seen every melbourne concert, we were planning tactics in how to reach the front (we lost them in the mosh) the etihad staff teased us by opening and closing the gates several times! but once they were opened the mad rush started! i managed to over take quite a few people on the way in. once i got my xyloband on i was off like a rocket! my big sister wasnt happy as she had a torn ligament in her ankle! but she caught up to me. i was behind a group of kids my age in the very front right hand corner! three people between me and the fence! in the end i made that two as the person infront of me was so annoying! when the pierces came on i was pleasently surprised to hear that they were better than i thought! although they were a warm up for the temper trap, now i must admit they are my second favourite band... and i loved it! such a buzz! but when the lights went out, well in the words of my big sister "you looked like a happy chimpmunk"

smiling my head off, over whelmed with emotion as i realized my dream was coming true and nothing could stop it! as mylo xyloto started i just went crazy! off my head! but when they starting playing my favourite song hurts like heaven i was worse! i feel bad for the people around me as i am a terrible singer! when everyone in the crowd did the trademark WOAH WOAH i burst into tears! for months had i been doing that in the shower while listening to them on my ipod i just couldnt believe i was actually doing it with them! when Chris asked the crowd if anybody was out there i could not believe it... the crowd went crazy! i honestly didnt think it would start that spectacular! FIREWORKS, XYLOBANDS, LAZERS, COLDPLAY IN GENERAL!

Mr William Champions drum intro to in my place was damn amazing! the confetti though, wow, just wow! i was memorized by looking up at the beauty of butterflies, M's, X's, UFO's, Birds and tear drops raining down on me (i have a whole bag full of them). by then end of that song i was just having the best time! i still couldnt believe how into the concert the crowd was! major minus was just great! way better than the record version lovers in japan was great with the balloons and confetti! i have a popped balloon too! but then, the scientist! i was overwhelmed when i heard everybody finishing off the lyrics! words cant discribe it really... you just have to see if for yourself to know what i and the other 62499 people felt! when the singalong yellow started i managed to get my face on the big screen multiple times! it was better than i thought! by this stage id lost my voice but i just kept going! violet hill was brilliant!

and the slow starting GPASUYF was just another jaw dropper! as the moved to the b-stage and started POC i was surprised by how good it was... and up in flames was a nice sing along! warning sign... was just great! he started the song of by telling us a lie then making up a story about how will wrote it when he was 4 living in pakistan in a carer van, while johnny was a farm boy, guy was in bangladesh selling stuff on the streets and i (chris) was in the uk on X-Factor that hadnt been created yet! we all had a laugh but once he started a silence hit the stadium, then everyone joined in! Dont let it brake your heart was a good start up after that as it got everyone back in the party mood! then OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHh, i couldnt believe how loud it was! just amazing! after the song the chant went on for atleast 1 extra minute then the crowd lit up! jonnys guitar started and charlie brown was alive! WOW just purely... again words cant descriibe it!

then the song that summed it up... PARADISE, i must say australian radio over played it but, wow again, great sing along! as the boys dissapeared to the other side of the stadium to sing us against the world and speed of sound i just felt reflected, on the day and how amazing it was, at that point i realized i wanted to leave the stadium without being able to speak! so when they started clocks i went crazy! fix you, wow! i cried during that song! it was just purely emotional! then every tear drop is a waterfall was topped off by chris with the aussie flag and the fireworks! seeing them leave didnt upset me... because i had the best 1 hour and 45 minutes of my life! i have done and seen a lot of things in my life! but this topped them all! words cant actually describe my feelings, but im sure a lot of you out there know what it feels like thank you so so much coldplay, and sorry coldplayers for this lousy review! [thanks vivalamarcus]

theinsoundfromwayout: I don’t even know where to start I am so happy right now – so from the beginning is probably best:

I am a FAN of Coldplay. That is to say the least about my affection for the band. The entire band. I mean I love them all, their music, their attitude to life – everything. That said…Chris Martin is really the number 1 reason for this affection. Apart from being incredibly handsome (really really really good looking) – he is also my favourite lyricist ever. I love Coldplay lyrics just by themselves without the fanfare & music behind them (don’t get me wrong the music is what makes it sooooooooo much better, but the words is where it starts for me). I could go on and on and on and on, but you get the point I LOVE COLDPLAY & CHRIS MARTIN. Because of this it has been the mission of some of my co-workers to ensure that an opportunity to meet the band & Chris not pass me by whilst they were here in the country.

I would like to point out here that I am not very cool when it comes to meeting people I admire. I turn into a giggling school girl and go bright red like a beetroot. So the very thought of the possibility of this maybe happening was a little overwhelming to say the least. When it was even mentioned to me I would turn into a bumbling fool and immediately try to change the subject. It was with this in mind that Leah, my amazing friend & co-worker, sat me down last Friday and said “Sarah, if you get to meet Chris next week, you need to have a plan of what to say, you can’t just turn into a giggling school girl”. These are the words that came rushing back to me on Monday afternoon after I was told that if I could get myself to Melbourne on Tuesday I could go to a meet & greet with the Band before the show!!!!

Needless to say I got myself to Melbourne with a spring in my step and a bottle of rescue remedy in my bag & Leah’s last words of advice “just breathe”. And that’s exactly what I had to keep reminding myself to do whilst we waited in the “Friends and Family” room to meet the band. We had been warned it would be quick, the band do the M&G’s right before they go on stage, so a couple of minutes was what we were told to expect. Just before 9pm (the time they were due on stage) they turned up in the room. Fortunately for me, I had a little time to adjust to even being in the same room as them as there was a large group of competition winners before us. Then we were on, let me tell you the whole band are just like you want them to be as a fan – they are lovely – as much as I wanted to hug them all and say thank you for being such an amazing band and making life better everyday through their music, I successfully restrained myself to a dignified “great to meet you, thanks for coming to Australia”. Then after the obligatory group shot, our fearless leader Mark Poston, gentleman that he is, dived in and kindly asked if Chris would have a solo photo with me cause I was a mega fan and the next thing I knew he had his arm around me and we were smiling for the camera – in the immortal words of Rachel Zoe “I Die”.

The rest of the night was spent singing Coldplay songs at the top of my lungs and watching the amazing show unfold (see Sarah P’s review). It was honestly the most perfect evening, I wouldn’t change a single thing (if there was time I would have photos with them all and picked their brains for amazing anecdotes, but one must prioritize!). I need to say a HUGE thanks to Mr Mark Poston – the best thing about our boss is that he never forgets what it’s like to be a fan (P.S.notice I’m not blushing in the photo, grinning like a Cheshire Cat – but not blushing!). So now just three more shows to go to before they leave the country, is 4 times in one week too much?

Finally... After what seemed like an eternity of anticipation, the time had come. The biggest band on the planet had touched down in Australia ready to bring their Mylo Xyloto live spectacular to their adoring fans. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, as 60,000 Coldplay fans waited eagerly for their heroes to take the stage. And suddenly, in the blink of an eye they came, belting out the opening chords of latest single 'Hurts Like Heaven' to rapturous applause and cheering. What followed next was nothing short of breathtaking...

An audio/visual onslaught to the senses ensued, as the show quickly ramped up to extraordinary levels, with confetti cannons blasting out millions of multi-coloured butterflies into the sky, as lasers shot out in all directions giving the stadium a magical winter wonderland feel. The special effects alone were enough to get even the most skeptical fan excited, but the combination of these spectacular visuals and Chris Martin belting out the chorus to 'Yellow' with all the heartfelt emotion he could muster took proceedings to a whole new level of greatness.

Then came that moment.. where 60,000 red, green, pink and blue wristbands lit up all around the arena, twinkling like Christmas lights in time to 'Viva La Vida' as Chris skipped about the stage with his arms wide, endearing the already smitten crowd with a promise to "make this the best fucking show we've ever done". If extra-terrestrials exist.. and they were looking down on Etihad stadium last night.. There is no doubt in my mind they will be making a bee-line for earth as we speak.[2]

HolidayJade: Let me just put it this way; I have never experienced a concert like that in my entire life. Giving it a 10/10 would be wrong, giving it 100/10 would still not do it justice. The Temper trap were amazing as usual, and I think they won over some fans by their performace. I heard people in the crowd going “hey these guys are good”. And it was so cute because you could tell they were happy to be in their hometown. I’m going to message Johnny and ask how he felt about being in his hometown again. That’s actually weird, I’m on talking terms with the guitarist of the temper trap haha.

SO, COLDPLAY. MY OH MY. I thought the wristbands were the coolest thing in the world, but BOY WAS I WRONG. They had freaking fireworks for their opening, FIREWORKS! and a LOT of them. They had giant glowing circles behind them and to top it off confetti flying in from every corner. And that was just their opening. There were so many things to focus on I was just everywhere! They were absolutely AMAZING live. Chris is such a little jelly bean, he’s so full of energy and the other band members were amazing too. What made it even more special was the fact that even though they had this whole arena to perform in, they still did a few songs with the four of them just standing side by side playing acoustically, as if they were a young banding starting fresh. It was beautiful. OH and the piano was glowing which was so cool, I want one now. Chris’s piano skills are amazing, I cannot believe he has not had a single lesson. It’s hard to choose what tracks stood out the most to me. Maybe Hurts like heaven, yellow, the scientist, fix you, clocks….OH SCREW IT. I CANT CHOOSE.

The wristbands were so cool, everyone got different colours. I got white and Sana got green. It was so cool cause each colour flashes different to the rest, so if you look at the whole audience, all the colours flash to different beats. ARGH. I cant believe that is what they get to see everyday. I teared up when I turned around and all I saw were little colourful dots flickering in the dark. OH OH and there were these balloon things they sent around the audience, kind of like beach balls. AND when it came near me of course I went to reach it so I could bounce it somewhere, and when I touched it IT BURST and out came all these little confetti butterflies. I KNOW! COLDPLAY YOU GENIUS. and and there were these inflatable monster things that were put around the stadium, and like everything they glowed as well.

I think what made this concert what it was is the fact it was like I wasn’t on earth anymore. Like I had been transported to another world with glow in the dark creatures and butterflies everywhere. It was magical, simply magical. I asked other people from the show and they said they felt the exact same way. I am so glad I bought tickets. Absolutely amazing and worth more than every penny. Sana and I made a pact to see them again when they come. I dont even know how they are going to top this one, unless they can actually transport us into another world hehe. Ahh, I can sense some serious post gig depression coming up. SIGH. Why can’t there be a Coldplay concert everyday? P.S I forgot to mention we were 10 meters away from the stage, and there was a turnout of 100,000 people. [3]

Media Reviews

The Age: With U2 in absentia and most other contenders either on hiatus or in retreat, Coldplay have comfortably established themselves as one of the biggest stadium acts on the planet. While outside of their vast constituency their credentials as a rock band have long been in dispute, last night at Etihad Stadium the British quartet demonstrated their huge popularity is merited with an excellent stadium pop show. More than 60,000 gathered last night as the hits came in quick succession: Yellow, Violet Hill, The Scientist, Viva La Vida and Speed of Sound were all accounted for. Diehards were gifted one curio, the excellent album track Warning Sign. Onstage, Chris Martin retains a playful, aw-shucks persona that allows for no cynicism. His ebullience, though, is utterly infectious...

The band leaned heavily - perhaps a little too heavily - on their latest album, last year's awkwardly named Mylo Xyloto. That album's first full-length track, the peppy Hurts Like Heaven served as their opening salvo last night. The song was augmented by a blazing, shameless and, well, exciting fireworks display. Confetti cannon accompanied the next track, In My Place. Coldplay don't do subtle. Nor should they.

Upon entering last night, fans were offered a wristband that became a sparkling light effect that was activated during the show's opening. Cheesy sure, but also a stunning sight as the house lights dimmed. At their worst, Coldplay are plodding and mawkish, but last night there was little of that. Mostly they were theatrical, exuberant and rocking. Aside from confetti and fireworks, there were lasers and giant balloons, too. Mostly though, there was just good pop songs.

Almost implausibly, their terrific Rihanna collaboration Princess of China was a giant stadium singalong even though the track's guest vocalist was absent. The night ended, as most Coldplay shows do these days, with their mushy but irresistible ballad Fix You and their optimistic Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall. Most of this band's better material, was genuinely thrilling. Coldplay have always aimed to please. We've got the best fans in the world, I don't care what anyone says, Martin said, mid show.

Coldplay were once accused of trying too hard. Now they operate at a sweet spot where it appears they aren't trying at all. Which, of course, is very far from the truth. [4/5 stars]. [4]

The Australian: Their sold-out Etihad Stadium show last night was a masterclass in connecting with their fans. Following the blueprint of their heroes U2, Coldplay attempt to make cavernous stadiums feel intimate. Upgrading from multiple arena shows on their last tour, Coldplay rely on some new and some old tricks when in stadium mode. This time around they made fans part of the lighting crew by handing out flashing coloured wristbands. When they all illuminate on cue it's a simple but highly effective tool that takes waving lighters or phones to the next level.

It also makes watching the audience part of the show. And there's the old favorites - a catwalk snaking into the crowd and the sneaky `B' stage which turns the back rows to the front rows momentarily. Something else seems to have shifted this time around with Coldplay. Previously frontman Chris Martin would be the band's harshest critic; now he seems to be embracing their rampant popularity rather than being guilty or ironic about it, noting his band have "the best job in the world."

Sending 62,500 Melbournians home with beaming faces must make for good job satisfaction. Martin also butched up his geeky yoga instructor turned rock star image with a new found love of the F bomb. Five albums in, Coldplay also have the songs to soundtrack peoples' lives. Early singles Yellow and In My Place proved they could write anthems from the get-go. Fix You was written to heal a certain Hollywood star but clearly has a communal effect. They're touring most recent album Mylo Xyloto, and if there's one complaint, at 10 tracks there's maybe a few too many songs from that album.

Their experimental Viva La Vida album was honed down to just the iconic title track, the joyous Lovers in Japan (which triggered another favorite trick - a sea of balloons) and the excellent Violet Hill. But any Coldplay fan could easily name 10 to 20 songs they'd gnaw a limb off to hear the band play (Trouble, Shiver, 42, Politik, Spies, Animal, Everything's Not Lost, Talk or Crests of Waves anyone?) but their job right now is to cater for everyone.

Beautiful early album track Warning Sign has been an inspired surprise inclusion on this tour. Still Mylo Xyloto has spawned some impressive, and diverse, singles - crowd singalong Paradise, the Rihanna duet Princess of China (she appears on video) and the insanely catchy Hurts Like Heaven. And like all good stadium acts they have ample classics to litter through the set - Clocks, the Scientist, a turbo-charged God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (complete with a shout out to Coldplay fan Shane Warne) and Viva La Vida. The underrated Every Teardrop is a Waterfall was pleasingly boosted to the all-important final track, creating a very happy ending. Mention must be made of Melbourne's own The Temper Trap - after extensive touring overseas they've now honed a high-impact 50 minute set - particularly impressive seeing as they're only on their second album.

Trembling Hands remains one of the year's finest singles - even if local radio were too busy with Gangnam Style - and Sweet Disposition as their exit song didn't exactly warm the stage for Coldplay but ignite it.[5]

Daily Telegraph: Etihad Stadium may have hosted a Coldplay concert on Tuesday night, but Melbourne Victory is expecting a pristine playing surface for Saturday night's clash with Central Coast. Some 60,000 people converged on Docklands to see the British rock band and, while the stage itself was situated at the city end of the stadium, thousands general admission fans walked freely on the covered pitch.

Victory has held discussions with stadium management and will likely inspect the ground today. The players will not have their usual familiarisation session at the ground tomorrow, but Victory football operations manager Paul Trimboli said that was not a concern. "We expect that Etihad will prepare a pitch that's in keeping with the quality we need," Trimboli said. "It's something that's out of our control anyway, so we don't focus on it too much. The pitch that we had last time out against Wellington the day before the (Melbourne) Cup was the best it's been this season, the players were really happy with that, so we're expecting it to be fairly similar. Obviously (stadium management) know we've got a game there on Saturday that's been locked in for a while so I'm assuming they planned the scaling down of the concert accordingly."

Meanwhile, Trimboli said he expects Archie Thompson and Marco Rojas to play against the Mariners barring any injuries picked up on international duty overnight. The pair will arrive home tomorrow morning and train with teammates later in the day.[6]

The Australian: should never underestimate the power of the wristband, at least not when it can light up and follow a tune. It was such a simple piece of gadgetry, worn by the bulk of the 60,000 crowd inside Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, that became a bonding element for audience and band as Coldplay opened their Australian tour on Monday. The multicoloured wristbands, triggered to light up by the beats and guitar riffs of several Coldplay songs, created quite a spectacle, not least during their Australian No 1 (their first here, as singer Chris Martin pointed out), Paradise. The place lit up like a Christmas tree.

Stadiums demand such devices, of course, in order to create an atmosphere of intimacy when in fact, for the majority, there are just four specks at one end of the paddock creating the music. Early on, during Mylo Xyloto/Hurts Like Heaven and the anthemic ballad In My Place, it was debatable whether the accompanying pyrotechnics, including fireworks, balloons and guns firing confetti, would be enough to get Coldplay over the stadium line. They did it, though, thanks for the most part to their stagecraft and a lengthy list of songs that seem tailor-made for such large, willing, vocal audiences.

Show me a Coldplay anthem and I'll show you five more, and all of them got an airing in Melbourne, serving to underline that -- whether you think them cool or otherwise -- this band writes damn catchy pop songs. Since their first visit to Australia on the back of their debut album, the breakthrough hit Yellow has never failed to ignite an audience and it did so here, with guitarist Jonny Buckland's riff giving the song a meatier than usual rock edge as a foil to Martin's lyrical romanticism. Drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman added power and dynamism to the band's structures. During an acoustic set on a small stage to the back of the arena, all four showed their softer side on guitars, vocals and keyboards on the songs Us Against the World and Speed of Sound. It was on the main stage, however, that Coldplay showed that they are capable -- and indeed at home -- with stadium rock. Martin, Buckland and Berryman worked the walkways, lifting the crowd during the bombastic Major Minus and Violet Hill.

Even more affective were the relatively recent singalongs Viva La Vida, Charlie Brown and, to close the main set, the aforementioned Paradise. They pressed all the right buttons here, ending with an encore that included early hit Clocks, followed by the best ballad in the band's recording career, Fix You, and closing with the passionate, fiery Every Teardrop. The show lasted two hours but seemed to flash by much quicker than that. Perhaps there was something in those wristbands that made time stand still, or at least slow down, until the last firework hit the Melbourne sky and it was all over.[7]

MusicFeeds: Are you (the person reading this review) colourblind? If so, you really should have been at Coldplay‘s epic opening show of their Australian tour in Melbourne last night. Why? Because the group, who have previously described themselves as ‘one of Britain’s premium soft rock bands’ and reluctant stadium fillers, put on a display that was bursting with so much colour, fireworks and bells and whistles that it probably would have cured you. In fact, anyone who wanted to see one of the world’s biggest bands cement themselves as bona-fide live superstars should have been there.

I walked into Etihad Stadium to the sounds of country-twanged New York sisters The Pierces. Their band was nice for about five minutes…then, it got a bit dreary. The girls were nice and interactive with the crowd; however, their tunes aren’t obviously built for stadiums yet. One of them mentioned that they were playing at the North-Coat (Northcote) Social Club on Thursday – any fans would probably be wise to see them there instead. Constantly mentioning how good it was to be home, local boys The Temper Trap then flexed their muscles with a solid 50-minute set, which showed that they are slowly building a nice catalogue of arena-fillers. Cuts from their new self-titled album such as Rabbit Hole and Never Again slotted in nicely with early hits Fader and Love Lost, which were piled out early on. And naturally, leaving their biggest hit for last (Sweet Disposition) got everyone in a mighty good mood.

Making the move up to stadiums on this tour, I was worried Coldplay wouldn’t be able to put together a show that would be ideal and inclusive for a stadium-sized crowd. How wrong I was. Aside from the awesome flashing wristbands that turned the place into a giant galaxy of colours – Coldplay bombarded us with an immersive experience full of fireworks, lasers, bright coloured graphics and paper butterflies. And that was only in the first three songs (Mylo Xyloto, Hurts Like Heaven and In My Place). Check out the video below for a small snippet of that. Giant balloons and more confetti then made their way through the crowd for Lovers in Japan, and later in the night, stacks of giant glow-in-the-dark objects made their presence felt in the Etihad stands at the sides of the stage.

Yellow and a rowdy new version of God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (complete with guitar duelling and a guitar throw at the end of the song from Chris Martin) were as stadium-rock sounding as you could get. Later in the night, the flashing wristbands were fully utilised as the words “glowing in the dark” rang true during Charlie Brown, which was followed up by neon graphics en-masse in Paradise. And, to show the love to the punters a bit further back, there was not just one, but two visits to other parts of the venue for some stripped-down segments. The first – at the end of the catwalk – featured Princess of China (with Rhianna singing on the big screen), Up in Flames, and the choice inclusion of ballad Warning Sign from 2002′s A Rush of Blood to the Head.

The second visit saw them venture to the back GA section for Us Against the World and an acoustic version of Speed of Sound (with a false start 20 seconds in!). The band then returned to the main stage to pile out the anthems – Clocks, Fix You and finishing with Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, which soundtracked another multicoloured apocalypse. Chris Martin declared at the start of the night: “You’ve all made such a huge effort to come here, so we’re gonna repay you by trying to give you the best fucking concert you’ve ever seen”. I have no doubt quite a few thousand people walked out of Etihad Stadium last night feeling as though that promise was fulfilled. Bono and U2, be scared. Be very scared. Because every time I see Coldplay (the band who idolise you) live, they take another step towards snatching your crown as the biggest band in the world. Based on the magic they created last night, consider this a giant one. [8]

Yahoo: He sang of ruling the world, but on Tuesday Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was ruling Melbourne with a light and sound stadium spectacular. For just under two hours, the world's so called biggest band pulled out all stops in an awesome stage show, complete with fireworks, sprays of confetti, giant bouncing balls and wrist bands for everyone that lit up Etihad Stadium like a million Christmas trees.

The show opened with newer songs Mylo Xyloto and Hurts like Heaven, as fireworks shot up from the stage and wrist bands twinkled in a rainbow of colours. "Is there anybody out there?" Martin playfully taunted a roaring crowd, thanking them for making their way through the pesky city traffic for the show. "It makes us feel incredible," he said. And after a false start to the next track, he added: "We're going to play the best f**king concert we've ever played in our lives."

While the tricks were at times big, the show was balanced with heartfelt and more stripped back versions of favourites such as The Scientist, a highlight which had Martin at the piano as the crowd sang in unison. The hits rolled on, with Yellow, the song which shot them to international stardom, and Viva La Vida which got bottoms out of seats. An energetic Martin, who had been dancing and jumping around the stage and at one time threw his guitar into the air rock style, was clearly tired as the song reached its end, collapsing on the ground and leaving the crowd to chant the rest. Another clear favourite was Paradise, the band's first Australian hit. "Thanks for being so incredible," Martin told fans. "You've given us the best job in the world."

Martin bade the crowd farewell but was back three minutes later, as fans called for an encore and wrist bands flashed through the stadium. He suddenly reappeared, but this time in a back corner of the stadium. "We can't see shit from over there, so we have to come visit," he joked as the masses swarmed towards him. As the show neared its end, Martin kept up the crowd interaction, asking if they had time for more. The favourable retort saw Martin launch into Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, draping himself in the Australian flag as he romped around the stage and later kissed the ground in his goodbye. Judging by the response, it seems he and his band will definitely be back for more.[9]

World-renowned British rock band Coldplay performed in front of more than 60,000 screaming supporters on Tuesday night (November 13) and their exhilarating concert lit Etihad Stadiumon fire, literally. From the foursome’s first appearance on stage, it was always going to be a show to remember. Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin thanked the crowd for making the effort of coming to their show and promised an equal effort in return to give Melbourne fans the best concert they’ve been too. And for many, if not all, they sure did.

After opening the night with the melodic sounds of Mylo Xyloto, the name of their latest album, the band transitioned straight into the big hit Hurts Like Heaven and fanatics were immediately assured of a good night ahead. Accompanied by electrifying fireworks and colourful confetti flying in the air, the crowd was mesmerised by the unbelievable production that followed throughout the night. It was all about colourful lights, giant balls bouncing across the jam-packed moshpit, fireworks, laser lights and best of all, some top-quality tunes.

Upon entry, fans were given wristbands that created sparkling light effects, visually and emotionally imitating the joyful atmosphere of a late-night Christmas Eve. And song after song, it just kept on getting better and better. Although the set-list heavily leaned towards their new album – which may have surprised some – Coldplay did also play their all-time fan-favourites such as Yellow, The Scientist and tearjerker Fix You. Their first number one single in Australia, Paradise, was one of the loudest sing-alongs amongst fans, who, like Chris Martin, did not want to stop singing. Charlie Brown and Princess of China, despite missing supporting artist Rihanna, also received an immense reaction from the crowd.

There’s no doubt Martin and the band went above and beyond and it seems that this band always aims to interact with their vast crowds. Using the tunnels of Etihad Stadium, the quartet disappeared off the main stage, soon to be found playing on a small riser mixed in a sea of fans. Throughout the night Martin talked about the chemistry of the group, which is undoubtedly their strongest characteristic. But there was no doubt that the show revolved around their main man, and boy did he impress.

His stage presence replicates the confidence of a lion in its den. His contagious joker persona remains playful and enthusiastic throughout the almost two-hour set, ensuring the night ended at the speed of light, leaving fans wanting more of that sweet mellow symphony. Luckily for the audience, the whole concert was filmed and it will be made available to the public, for those that want to re-live that unforgettable night. Performing at their finest, Coldplay gave their best efforts as promised, leaving their Aussie fans with an experience that will last them a lifetime. Soon after the two hours of blissfulness ended, Facebook and Twitter feeds were overflowing with mentions of Coldplay, with many describing the concert as ‘phenomenal’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘beyond amazing’.

After almost two decades since Martin, bass guitarist Guy Berryman, lead guitarist Jonny Buckland and drummer Will Champion first established Coldplay, the group has had its fair share of ups and downs. The guys have continually tried to prove themselves as a world-class band and now after the release of their latest album, as well as the incredible world tour, the sometimes underrated British sensation can easily be named as one of the greatest performance acts that has ever played on Australian soil.[10]

Faster Louder: The Coldplay support slot was never going to be an easy one for The Temper Trap. However, as their recent AFL Grand Final appearance highlighted, the Melbournians are gradually moulding their sound to suit an arena setting – and it’s a getting better with every outing. Obvious choices ‘Trembling Hands,’ ‘Drum Song’ and ‘Sweet Disposition’ were perfect arena-fillers and were delivered without fault. However, the performance felt like it was lacking an element of unpredictability: A bit of audience participation, a jam, even a musical miss-step – just something to break up proceedings and inject something more “human” into the set.

When Coldplay landed, it illuminated the difference in calibre of the bands, literally. Having all been issued with colourful wristbands upon entry, the crowd transformed Ethiad Stadium into a capsized Christmas Tree as waving bangles flickered neon and the “kings of arena” appeared. Chris Martin commanded every inch of the venue as he galloped around each prong of the forked stage, blasting into Mylo Xyloto’s ‘Hurts Like Heaven’ as fireworks lit-up the sky in unison. The whole show was a startling illustration of just how far Coldplay has come in the last 12 years. From the timid indie kids of yesteryear they have morphed into a choreographed, well-oiled machine that excels in this kind of environment.

With the smell of sulphur still lingering, the band navigated their way through explosions of confetti to a rendition of ‘In My Place’ which silenced any skeptics about Etihad Stadium’s sound. Will Champion’s behemoth drums boomed around the stadium, and this, along with ‘Yellow’ and ‘The Scientist’ were delivered with a confidence and aggression unapparent on original recordings. ‘Warning Sign’ was the wild card and potential highlight of the night as the oft-forgotten stunner kept the die-hard fans happy. But it was songs such as ‘Viva La Vida’ and ‘Paradise’ which garnered the biggest screams of the night.

With such a catalogue of hits, it was easy to forget that this was a Mylo Xyloto tour first and foremost, however this became more apparent as the show progressed. Most of the lighting, special effects and giant bouncy balls were reserved for the new releases. The encore saw the four Brits teleport to a tiny stage at the back of the stadium, huddling together to deliver a drum-less ‘Us Against The Worl’d and ‘Speed of Sound’, which gave a sense of faux-intimacy, before they raced back to the stage to cap off the night with ‘Clocks’, ‘Fix You’ and ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’.

The sheer ridiculousness of the lighting spectacle was so enthralling that at times it was easy to take Coldplay’s near-faultless performance for granted. It’s amazing that something as simple as a flashing wristband could transform what was a great performance into an experience for everybody to be a part of. It also made the most of the arena setting – no matter when you were located every spot had its advantage: Whether you were in the stalls dancing under a shower of confetti, or in the furthest corner of the arena, gazing across a beautiful sea of neon lights. Most of us say it’s better to see a band in a small, intimate venue, but when a band does an arena show as well as that, it’s enough to make you reconsider.[11]